Butterfly
by pirategirl53
Summary: Daffy has been in a controlling and abusive relationship, since high school. She's 18 now, and things are getting worse. But then she stumbles upon Raphael, an outcast in the only cruel world he's known. She's hurt and vulnerable, and he's strong and guarded. Maybe this can work. All she needs is to blossom like a butterfly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: This is one of the darker stories I've written. I've not experienced anything like this relationship that I'm depicting in the story, but I know someone close to me that has. I'm writing this story in their honor. This first chapter might be triggering, as it deals with abuse, rape, and a connection to said abuser. Please understand that this story has mature and darker themes than anything I've written, so forgive me if it's too angsty. I usually write fluff, and this is the first story I'm posting on my account here. But, I hope you enjoy all the same~**

There was nothing she could do to stop it. Somehow, she had made it worse. Blow by blow she shattered more, and threat by threat she knew, there was no getting out of this.

But it's okay. She deserved it, as she always had. It had been ingrained in her mind, from an age so young, one of such innocence and trust that there was no getting her freedom back. She owed her being to this man, this one of such power and life that and rage, and she knew that somehow, it would all be okay. It hurt when he struck; a little piece of her faded with every hit.

But then he would apologise, or buy a necklace that was just too beautiful, and she couldn't refuse. She was sucked back in every damn time.

Daffy hurried down the busy street, her heels wobbling, and her head ducked. She knew that around this time of night was when the less desirable inhabitants of this city were prowling about. Her watch beeped, and she knew that there wasn't much time left. Ray would be home soon, and she had to be there before he was. Dinner had to be on the table by 7:30, and his soda chilled, otherwise there would be hell to pay.

But Daffy didn't mind. She owed him. He paid for her everything, and gave her so much more than she deserved.

The dark city around her was in stark contrast to the lights that shone so brightly. The alleyways were dark, the billboards shining, and Daffy… well, Daffy was just trying to get home in time.

Reaching her building after stumbling only five times on the cursed heels, She made her way to her floor, planning dinner in her mind.

What would Ray be in the mood for? She had to get it exactly right, or else she'd have to cook again. But Daffy didn't mind, because she owed him. That's why she deserved those hits, why she deserved the threats and insults. Because Daffy was nothing compared to Ray, and he had showed her that. She was nothing without him.

She could smell him before she got to the apartment door. The smell of cigarettes and his faint cologne wafted towards her. Ray was home.

Daffy opened the door tentatively, unsure of what to expect. He had only been home before her once, and she had been sorely punished for that.

The bruises on Daffy's wrist ached as she turned the knob. She held back a wince.

"Ray, honey? What are you doing back so early?" She called. There was light music playing, and it sounded like it was coming from the bedroom.

She opened the door to see not Ray, but their bed, covered in rose petals in the shape of a heart. There were several candles lit throughout the room, and the smell of vanilla faintly made her crave for ice cream.

She turned her head, and lips were on hers. _Ray_.

His arms wrapped around her, and she felt a faint reminiscence of the sparks that had once been there.

"Ray, love," Daffy murmured as she pushed him off, only for a second. "What is all this?"

"It's a promise. I want to marry you someday, not now, but when we're both ready. I haven't been the best to you lately, and this is my way of sealing our bond."

"Oh, Ray," Daffy whispered, a strange feeling that she couldn't identify arousing in her stomach. He deepened the kiss, and hoisted her up on his waist, stumbling back to the bed.

Daffy broke the kiss again. "Thank you, Ray. I appreciate all of this."

"No prob, love." Ray hungrily kissed her, and his hands were rough on her body. Somehow that didn't work with Daffy. She owed him everything, but she wasn't ready to give herself up yet. That last part of herself that was hers to control, the part that only she could give away. Ray wanted it, and yet she couldn't bring herself to give him what he wanted.

"Ray," She pushed him away, for a third time. His grip on her wrist became tighter at her voice. "I… don't want to do this now."

"What do you mean you don't want to do this now? I worked so hard to set this up, do you know how hard it was for me to get off work?"

"You mean chugging another beer at the bar? Yeah, I know." Daffy covered her mouth with her hand and barely concealed a gasp. She hadn't meant to say that, not even to think it. But it was true. She knew that Ray wasn't always at work like he said he was, or that the money he had wasn't alway safe.

But saying something like that to Ray… She was going to be punished. She deserved it.

Daffy could feel his muscles tightening, and his breathing stop.

"What did you just say to me?" He asked, his voice no more than a low snarl.

"I didn't mean to, I promise! It was nothing!" Daffy pleaded. She hated when Ray was like this, but she knew she deserved it.

"No, Daffy. What did you just say to me?" He sneered. Ray had her by the shoulders, and shook her roughly. Daffy's head wobbled with fear, and she kept silent. Her eyes were wide with tears, but she didn't let them fall. Ray hated when she cried. Said it made her weak.

"Daffy, you little slut! Tell me!" Ray had her hair now, and was dragging her to the wall. She made a better target there, as she had learned from countless times before.

A blow to the face.

"I'm sorry, Ray! I'm so sorry!" Daffy sobbed. "I really am! I'll never say anything like that again!"

"Damn right you won't. And since I tried to do it romantically, and you refused, we're going to have to do it the hard way."

A blow to the stomach.

"W-what?" Daffy looked at Ray. Was he really going to go this far?

"Take off your clothes, Daffy." Ray said, an eerie calm suddenly encasing the room.

"No, no, I won't! I'm not ready, Ray!"

A blow to the heart.

"Daffy, take off your clothes. Now. Or I'll rip them off of you." His eyes were dark, grey and ominous. They held want and lust but not love, and that scared Daffy.

Daffy stood up slowly, her cheeks heating up. Piece by piece, she stripped her body of her work clothes, knowing the horrors she was about to face.

"Thats a good girl." Ray sneered. "Now come to me. I'm not gonna bite. Well… only a little."

"Ray," She couldn't bear to look at him, and the way he's changed.

"Daffy," He mocked. "Come, begin. While you're pleasuring me, I might just take a video or two. Just for safe keeping."

Daffy's life as she knew it was over.

The tears in her eyes were stubborn, refusing to fall. Somehow Ray's insults and threats went deeper this time. He really was in a bad mood. She couldn't get the memory of his hands on her body out of her mind. She loved Ray, but she never expected him to go that far. Daffy didn't think she would be able to walk after tonight.

Where was she going to stay? Ray obviously was not going to let her be at the apartment, not without paying for it. And, if she was being honest, Daffy didn't really want to go back. She was scared of Ray now. Things couldn't go back to normal, no matter how much she wanted it to. She loved Ray, but couldn't brace herself to go back to him. She knew she deserved it, everything that had happened tonight, but she was scared. Suddenly the only person that she trusted anymore, was the one she feared.

Daffy walked down the pathway. Central Park at night was beautiful, but in more of a muted way. The trees and periodic lights made for more than enough places to think. Stopping just after a bridge, next to a batch of trees, Daffy settled down on a steel bench. It was freezing, but somehow her sweater, flip flops and leggings would have to be enough. Ray rationed her money use, and even with the leftover change that she got from doing all the grocery shopping, there never would have been enough to get her a hotel room. Not even a motel. Everything she owned, everything she _was_ , came from Ray.

She settled in on the bench, feeling sorry for herself.

How did her life go so downhill, so quickly? One moment she was an English major with serious potential, and the next she was nothing but a girlfriend to a more powerful man.

One minute, she was fine, and the next, she was broken.

Tears spilled down her face, and Daffy couldn't control the whimpers that came from her mouth. She loved Ray, but she was scared of him. She loved him, she owed him, but she couldn't face him.

She wanted to die.

After what seemed like hours, Daffy jumped when she heard a voice.

"Hey there, you okay?"

Daffy looked up into the eyes of a… what was it? Daffy's senses were a bit dulled with exhaustion and pure crying. Was she seeing green? She focused her eyes a bit more and saw, yes, green, but also orange. And black. Daffy held back a gasp at seeing this creature in full, and gulped.

"W-who are you?"

"I'm Michelangelo. Mikey, if you will." He smiled a warm, genuine smile. Daffy inhaled at this. She hadn't seen one of those in a while.

"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. Just to see if you're okay. You seem a little, well… beat up."

"I'm fine."

"Do you need a hospital?"

"I'm fine." Daffy said.

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself of that."

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm _fine._ " With each word Daffy curled farther in on herself, and her sobs reappeared and became furious. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine I'm fine I'm fine."

And it was then Daffy realized she wasn't fine.

"You're not. Do you have somewhere I could take you?"

"I'll see myself home. I'm fine. I'm sorry." She said, still sobbing. "I'm sorry."

"I'll trust you on that, only because I need to get back. What's your name?"

"Daffy."

"Like Daffy Duck. Cool."

"I guess."

"Yeah. I'll see ya around, Daffy." Daffy had a sudden want to stay here forever. She didn't want to go back to Ray. But it was the only place for her to go. She looked up, wanting one last look at this creature, person, thing, _friend_ that she had made, but he was already gone. Daffy was alone in the park, and the only place she had to go was back to hell.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter, sorry. Its the end of the school year, and I just took an SAT II for Bio on Saturday, so I haven't had much time to write. Sorry, the next one will be longer!**

The apartment was quiet. She hadn't gone home last night, instead choosing to sleep on a bench, under an awning of a deli. She didn't sleep at all, for fear of being kidnapped, or attacked… again.

Ray had gone to work already, and Daffy was relieved. She couldn't have handled it if he were. Her body was covered in bruises, the likes of which she had never seen before. Daffy could barely move her arms, and when she did, the wince couldn't be kept back.

Over the course of the night, Daffy had come to a decision. She was going to break it off with Ray. After last night's events, she couldn't trust him, and she didn't want to live through one more second of this hell.

Daffy was going against everything she had believed for the past few years. She loved him, she owed him, but this was far crossing the line. There was no excuse for forcing her to do things she didn't want to do. Daffy was going to take back her life.

She hadn't called her brother yet, but she thought maybe if she explained everything to him, he'd understand. He'd come to help. Even if he wasn't there when she needed him all those years ago. Daffy was hesitant to call Mark, but she understood the severity of the situation, and understood what was needed. She'd call him after she spoke to Ray.

Daffy had gathered all of her few belongings in a duffle, and was prepared for Ray to come home at any moment. He usually stopped in for lunch around this time, but she was never usually home.

The front door slammed open, in the way that indicated - Ray was drunk. Again.

He stumbled into the room, and Daffy was confused. He looked more sober than not.

"Where are you, Daffy? I know you're here. I left the door locked when I left the flat."

"Ray." Daffy spoke, a single word portraying the severity and intensity of what was about to unfold.

"Daffy, sweetheart." Ray ignored her tone, and came over to caress her face. "I'm so sorry about last night. You know I never meant to hurt you, right? I love you so much."

"Ray. I'm breaking up with you. I'm leaving." Daffy said it as bluntly as possible. A clean cut. This is what she needed.

Ray's eyes turned dark, and she could see him trying to reel in the anger. He brought his hand up, and she flinched. When no hit came, Daffy opened her eyes to see he was just running his fingers through his hair.

"Baby, whats this about? I'll buy you something, I can take you shopping. If it's about last night, I mean, I said sorry already, hon. You can't ask for more than that."

Daffy cocked her head.

"Actually, I can. I'm leaving, Ray. And there's nothing you can do about it." Daffy stood up.

"What, you think you can get away with just leaving on me? Springing this on me like some left over boyfriend you never loved? I gave you everything. You have nowhere to go, and I am your only support. You can't leave me. You won't survive."

And then a blow to the face.

Daffy stumbled back, reeling from the hit. But this time, she raised her fists, ready to fight back. She swung at Ray, and landed a punch right to the stomach. He wasn't expecting this. Daffy took this opp

ortunity to give him hell, just as he had given her. To the face, to the chest, to the jaw. Daffy was pretty sure her wrist was fractured in every bone by now, but she didn't care. For once this pain felt good. It felt good to take her life back.

Ray was breathless on the couch. Since when had Daffy, this insecure little bitch of his, learn to fight back? No, this was not okay. He was the man in this relationship, he had the power, he was in control. He swung his fist out at Daffy and socked her in the stomach. He rose up and fought back. She deserved all of this, the little bitch. She deserved it. Never good enough, never pleasing him as she should be.

Ray relished in the power he felt, knowing that he was in complete control of her. But Daffy didn't stop trying. She would weakly swing her arm, and then feebly back off. She was almost broken.

Ray decided that this was enough. Beating her wasn't enough. It was boring. Ray picked up the hurting and broken girl, opened the window and dropped her on the fire escape.

She had fainted, and Ray was happy to see that.

Daffy awoke to pins and needles on her arms and legs, and blood on her clothes. She was cold, and her skin was imprinted with the holes in the fire escape. How had she gotten onto the fire escape?

She looked around, and it was dark out. Obviously, hours had passed since her breakup with Ray. But somehow, Daffy didn't think it was over, yet. Far from over.

Daffy stood up, and fell into the railing, unable to hold herself together. Slowly, and unsurely, she made her way down the stairs, floor by floor. When she got to the alley below, it was all she could do not to immediately collapse on the floor next to a dumpster, and a pile of garbage bags. Instead, she safely lowered herself on the ground, taking out her phone simultaneously.

There was only one option left. Daffy looked around the dark alley, the smell wafting into her nose. She couldn't be with Ray anymore. It was time to call her brother. Daffy pulled up the number she hadn't used in so long. He had been gone for so many years, that Daffy felt like she didn't even know him anymore. But it was her only choice.

It went to voicemail.

"I'm sorry, but the number you called is currently unavailable. At the tone, please record your message. When you are finished recording you may hang up, or press one for more options."

Daffy looked at the phone in disbelief. The one time she uses the number in 5 years, and he can't pick up?

Beep.

"Mark, I… I need you."

Daffy hung up. She scoffed in disbelief, and stopped short when a figure jumped down from the fire escape. She held her breath, not wanting to be caught.

The figure walked towards her, and she recognized it from the night before.

"Michelangelo?" Daffy said, hesitantly. In an instant, the figure was no more than 3 feet away from her, weapons in hand and a red bandana on his head. This was not Michelangelo.

"How do you know my brother? Who are you?" His voice was low and surly, gruff and full of paranoia. Daffy flinched at the resemblance to Ray.

"He, uh. He made sure I was safe last night." Daffy didn't make eye contact.

"Oh. Who are you?" He asked again, taking a step closer. Daffy flinched, thinking of Ray. "Hey, I'm not gonna hurt ya."

"Daffy?" She heard Michelangelo's voice from behind the red turtle, and she internally sighed in relief. She could trust Michelangelo.

"Michelangelo." Daffy was standing now, and she tried to convey with her eyes that she was grateful to see him. Raphael, on the other hand, seemed to be furious.

"Mikey! How could you reveal yourself? You know how dangerous it is! Ya freaking shellbrains!" Raphael threw several shell-themed insults at him, and his voice was rough and angry. Daffu couldn't help but take a few steps back against the wall, and close her eyes.

"Raph, shut up! You're scaring Daffy!"

"And how do we know this chick ain't working for the foot anyway? She could be a spy!"

Michelangelo took three giant strides, and put his hand out, as if to ask if he could reassure her. His hand touched her shoulder, and Daffy winced, feeling pain where Ray had cut her with a broken picture frame a few days ago.

"Daffy, are you okay? I thought you were supposed to go home. Safely."

Daffy looked up at the turtle, with trust in his eyes, and a reassuring smile. "I… I made it home safe. Inside my home, on the other hand…"

Daffy couldn't say anymore. She didn't want to spill her sob story to these two turtles that probably had other things to do. And besides, her throat closed and she choked up, on the verge of tears. She couldn't help it, and tears spilled, her shoulders shaking. God, why was she so weak?

"Hey, hey, Daffy, it's okay. I'm here, you're safe. My god, what happened to you?"

At this Raphael's interest piqued. He really looked at the girl, and she looked terrible. Her brown hair was frizzy and a mess. Her clothes were torn, and any skin he could see was purple with bruises and red with blood. Who had done this to her? Raphael felt a sudden urge of primal male instinct, wanting to avenge this girl and all of her hardships, wanting to protect her from harm. He sympathized with this girl, and that confused Raphael.

Michelangelo had seen enough. There were fingerprints, and bruises obviously in the shape of a fist all over her body. He couldn't let her go back home. Not when things were this dangerous.

"Michelangelo…" Daffy said, her voice no more than a whisper, almost being drowned out by the cars on the street. Daffy shivered.

"Mikey," Raph said. "We need to take this girl to the hospital. Something's really wrong."

This made Daffy

Michelangelo looked back at Raph. "Raph, can we take her to Donny? Something's really wrong, I can feel it."

"It's your decision, I'm not taking any of the blame for this."

"Alright, let's go. Raph can you take her?"

"Why me? She's your girl."

"You know I can't climb as well with another person. You, on the other hand, can."


End file.
